BAYVIEW — Austin Bennett loves fishing and loves playing football.

The two sports, though very different, share a common thrill for the 18-year-old senior at South Whidbey High School: downtime punctuated by moments of excitement.

Like when Bennett was fishing with his friend Dakota Hanna and needed to net a 17-pound silver salmon. Or when the first team Cascade Conference defensive back picked off both of Sultan High School’s quarterbacks at homecoming.

Cast a line, wait, then … zing! Cover the field, wait, then … zing!

Bennett, a safety for the Falcon football team, was voted to the first team all-Cascade Conference in November. He also made honorable mention as a receiver. The Herald named Bennett to its all-area second team defense, too. Oh, and he was awarded the most valuable player on offense at the football team banquet.

“It was pretty awesome,” said Bennett of his all-conference nominations.

Even though Bennett led the league with six interceptions, he doesn’t think he did anything flashy that stood out to opposing coaches. Instead, he credited his consistency and teammates for his first team nomination.

“It’s the way you can change the game in a second,” Bennett said. “Like on defense — tackling, picking a ball off, sacking the quarterback — it was more of a thrill.”

On offense, Bennett moved to tailback after Same Lee’s absence. Bennett bowled and bruised his way to 438 yards and four touchdowns, highlighted by his season’s best rushing performance of 114 yards and a touchdown against Sultan. He still lined up as a receiver and gained 96 yards and a touchdown in a win at Granite Falls.

“He’s a stud,” said senior co-captain Tyler “Chuck” Norris, also one of Bennett’s closest friends. “He worked his tail off.”

As a co-captain, Bennett said he led on the field and by example, but wasn’t very vocal. He did, however, come up with the team’s pre-game chant, something he adapted from New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

“I don’t know if I can tell you,” Bennett told this reporter. “It’s kind of an ohana thing.”

“Ohana” is Hawaiian for extended family. Its meaning was more literal for Bennett. His father, Greg Bennett, was an assistant coach for the football team who worked with the offensive linemen. Austin’s younger brother, Nick, a freshman, was also on the team, but played primarily on junior varsity. Greg rarely worked with his son because he was in charge of a different position.

“It’s actually indescribable,” Greg Bennett said of sharing the sideline with his sons. He said his proudest moment was watching Austin step onto the field as a team captain and channel his passion for football to his teammates.

“I think he was able to turn that energy back toward other players, and he did a great job of that,” his father said.

At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Bennett fits all of his positions well: safety, receiver, running back and punt/kick returner. He sees the field well and runs eyes up, with his head scanning side to side.

All of his football positions, at least.

While the honors piled up for Bennett, he hit the court and returned to basketball. Bennett had not played organized basketball since his freshman year.

Bennett comes off the bench as a forward, a new position for the senior who is used to playing guard. The transition has been quick, and he’s glad he tried out and made the basketball team.

The lights are off at Waterman Field, and Bennett knows he likely won’t hear his name announced on the speakers there again. Still, the three-year football letterman has fond memories and enjoyed the work and accomplishments he had on that uneven grass.

“Friday night lights is just something not a lot of people get to do, and it’s so much different from anything else,” Bennett said.

He’s looking to continue his football career in college. He is looking for the right fit, a combination of the school and the team’s record, coaching staff and personnel.

Once he graduates in June, he plans to take a break from year-round sports and college preparation.

“I’m going to fish every day.”